Convertible trunk and wardrobe.



S.'W. BONSALL. A CONVERTIBLE TRUNK AND WABDNOBB.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1,3, 190B.

Patented Dec.28,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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A s. W. BONSALL.

CONVERTIBLE TRUNK' AND .WARDROBB APPLICATION FILED NOV.-13. 1908944,593. Patented Dec.28, 1909.

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5mm@ Wto/a SEYMOUR W. BONSALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVERTIBLE TRUNK .AND WARDROBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 28, 1909.

Application filed November 13, 1908. Serial No. 462,359.

yTrunks and ardrobes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trunks intended to be stood onend, and provided with inclosed receptacles intended to be removablewhen the trunk is unpacked.

While this improvement is particularly intended for use in ward-robetrunks of the general Innovation type, my invention is not limited toits use in trunks of that kind.

Trunks intended to be stood on end have been hitherto provided eitherwith an inclosed tray swung upon hinges on one of the trunk edges whichstands upright when the trunk is on end, or with a long boX, containingvarious compartments, which may be lifted out of the trunk and placed onend by itself. The former plan is sometimes objected to in connectionwith wardrobe trunks because the hinged or swinging tray interferes tosome extent with access to the suspended garments. The latter plan isobjectionable because of the weight of the long box, and the frequentdifficulty of disposing of so bulky a container in small quarters.

My present invention has for its object the provision of means wherebyall the advantages of both of the above mentioned devices may be securedwhile their disadvantages may be avoided. This improvement supplies aform of container removable in sections and arranged for very convenientattachment to the main trunk body; whereby light units are provided andthe problem of their disposition while unpacking is satisfactorilysolved.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, wherein n Figure 1 is a front elevation of oneform of my improved trunk, when open, omitting the lower iiap, Fig. 2 isa vertical section of the entire trunk shown opened, and Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the top of the trunk closed, with the two half trayssupported thereon in a preferred manner.

The main outer casing is shown at 10, and in the form shown, the cover'consists of two iaps 11, 12, intended to swing up and down respectivelyin opening the trunk.

At 13 is shown the horizontal sliding rack or frame of a form of garmentsupporter substantially as shown in my Letters Patent No. 642,075, datedJan. 30th 1900.

At 14 is shown the sliding prop for the frame 13, and at 15 are shownsome hangers for garments carried by said frame.

IVhile my invention is notl limited to use in wardrobe trunks, I preferto use the same with this type of trunk, and to so arrange the partsthat, when packed, the hangers and prop occupy the bottom or back of thetrunk, being located behind the independent superposed trays. Theselatter are shown at 16, placed one upon the other and occupying thespace immediately within the covers 11,- 12, and in front of the propll. The suitably shaped body 16 of each tray is provided preferably witha handle 17, and is closed at the back by a swinging cover, 18, whichmay be made in two hinged halves. as shown in Fig. 3. Three or moretrays are within my invention. To each half tray 16 there is attached aframe consisting of a back strip 19 and two side supports 20, the endsof which latter are pivoted to the sides of the container 16. Tapes 21are preferably fastened to the back strips 19. These tapes are arrangedto form single loops whereby the half trays may be suspended if desired;and I prefer to make them of such a length that each may be hung over aside of the suitably placed handle 22 of the trunk. Thus each half traymay be supported opposite the other upon one side of the trunk casing10.

As shown on the left of Fig. 3, the normal position of each half tray iswith its length vertical and with the back strip 19 between thecontainer 16 and the trunk casing. It is one function of the strip 19 tohold the cover 18 closed, which is the effect in this position. Then sohung, the tape 21 should be short enough not to permit any appreciabletendency of the half tray to hang away from the trunk, either closed oropened. lhen this is the case, and with the sides 20 of the supportingframe pivoted near the bottom of 16, as shown, there is a strongtendency of each container to preserve its normal or closed position. Inorder to open a suspended half tray 16 the same is drawn forward by thehandle 17 in the direction of the arrow at the left in Fig. 3. When thesame assumes the position shown at the right in Fig. 3, the rear edgecomes up to a stop against the back strip 19, and the whole device tendsto hang snugly against the side of the trunk, as shown. In this positionthe cover 18 is free to be thrown back to expose the contents of thecontainer 16. The construction thus shown is quite stable and secure.

It will be seen that, by the use of the construction above described, Iaccomplish a double object. In the first place, I provide a divisibleremovable container in the front space of a trunk, which can be easilyand conveniently moved by anyone, whether packed or not, and which lendsitself particularly well to convenient disposition when the trunk isunpacked. In the second place, I provide a novel forni of wardrobe whenthe trunk is unpacked, by combining the peculiar species of half traysshown with the trunk body in the symmetrical structure shown in Fig. 8.The article of furniture produced by this last named arrangement affordsa very handy wardrobe for the safe keeping of shirts, shoes, hats, etc.,which can be instantly and easily packed by simply removing the tapesfrom the handle 22 and placing the half trays one upon the other withinthe trunk substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

What I claim is- 1. A convertible trunk and wardrobe, comprising a trunkcasing adapted to stand on end when open, a handle on one end of saidcasing, a divisible container composed of independent sections adaptedto stand one on another within the front portion of the interior of thecasing, and means on each section of said container for suspending thesame from said handle against one side of said trunk casing,substantially as described.

2. A convertible trunk and wardrobe comprising a trunk casing adapted tostand on one end of said casing and having a handle on the opposite endthereof, a divisible container composed of independent sections adaptedto stand one on another within the front portion of the interior of thecasing, a supporting frame pivoted to each section of the container, andmeans attached to each supporting frame adapted to engage said handle,substantially as described.

3. A convertible trunk and wardrobe comprising a trunk casing adapted tostand on end when open, a handle on one end of said casing, a divisiblecontainer composed of independent sections adapted to stand one onanother within the front portion of the interior of the casing, a coveron each section of the containei` and a supporting frame pivoted to eachof said sections adapted to hold down said cover, substantially as de-Vscribed.

ll. A convertible trunk and wardrobe comprising a trunk casing adaptedto stand on end when open, a container adapted to tit into said trunk, asupporting frame pivoted to said container, a handle on said trunk, andmeans whereby the container and frame may be suspended from said handle;the whole proportioned and arranged so that, when the container and itssupporting frame are hung from said handle by said means, they will lieflat against the side of said trunk substantially as described.

5. A temporary wardrobe structure Comprising a trunk body having ahandle at the top, a supporting frame, a suspending means attached tosaid frame and engaging over said handle, and a container pivoted tosaid frame and engaging therewith so as to hang iat against the side ofsaid trunk, substantially as described.

6. A temporary wardrobe structure comprising a trunk body having ahandle at the top, a container, a supporting frame pivoted at the sidesthereof and having a back strip, and a tape passing around said handleand fastened to said back strip; the whole proportioned and arranged sothat the container and its supporting frame will lie flat against theside of said trunk whether the container be tipped open or hang closed,substantially as described.

7. In combination with a trunk having a handle at one end, an interiorremovable container for trunks comprising a body hav ing a hinged cover,a supporting frame pivoted to the sides of said body and having a backstrip adapted to secure said cover, and suspending means attached tosaid frame adapted to engage the handle on said trunk, substantially asdescribed.

8. A wardrobe trunk comprising a main casing, sliding garment-supportingmeans adapted to be confined nearthe bottom of the trunk, and adivisible-container composed of independent sectionsadapted to stand oneupon another in front of said garment-supporting means, when the trunkis packed, each section being provided with means for suspending itagainst the side of the trunk when the latter stands on end,substantially as described.

SEYMOUR IV. BONSALL.

lVitnesses H. S. MACKAYE, M. A. BUTLER.

